Drama Queen
by mistymidnight
Summary: Unlike her sister, Dawn has no qualms about getting up on stage…


**Title: **Drama Queen

**Author: **mistymidnight

**Rating: **PG

**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue, I need a car! (Okay not quite right now, but soon, soon…)

** Spoilers/Timeline: **Season two

**Summary: **Unlike her sister, Dawn has no qualms about getting up on stage…

**Author's Notes: **It's kind of funny how I'm so into drama but never wrote a Little Dawn story revolving around drama. I actually have some pretty funny stories (not funny then, funny now) about my own drama experience…

Preschool—cried thru my whole Christmas pageant

Sixth grade—Had to be part of the "Schoolhouse Rock" song "Conjunction Junction". I got two _great_ (note sarcasm) parts…the conjunction 'but' (don't think that one didn't haunt me all the way thru junior high!) and a duck, with about ten seconds to change in between. Well, when you misplace your duck costume and have to go out on stage wearing a school uniform instead (in front of an audience of 300 people from all over town) it's rather traumatizing. 

Okay, my self-involved rant is done. Just thought you'd like to see where I got my ideas. (Actually, I didn't, I just think those stories are funny…I know it's lost in translation…)

Drama Queen 

****

"I can't believe it's not butter!" Dawn exclaimed, holding the margarine tub regally.

"I can't believe you just said that," Buffy muttered, checking the supermarket aisle to make sure no one noticed her sometimes embarrassing younger sister. "Don't you think you're taking this acting thing a bit too far?"

"An actress must never loose her touch, dah-ling," Dawn informed her sister, dropping the margarine unceremoniously into the cart. "I must keep in tip-top condition." She swooped down on a carton of milk, gushing, "Oh, moo juice! How lovely to see you, my dear."

"Now you're just doing it to embarrass me," Buffy grumbled, pushing along the supermarket cart. "I understand why Mom always makes me baby sit you when she grocery shops."

"Are not," Dawn said. "I am insulted that you would hurt my reputation that way," she added dramatically.

"I am insulted you'd make such an accusation," Buffy replied dryly, picking up a bag of shredded cheese and dropping it in the cart. 

"Oh, you're just mad because I'm a much better actress than you could ever be," Dawn snapped, grabbing yogurt with sprinkles before Buffy could stop her and dropping it in the cart. "You could barely get on stage for that talent show. And you stunk."

"How do you know?" Buffy demanded, checking the shopping list. "You weren't even there."

"This girl in my class, Katie, said that you did. Her sister was in the talent show."

"So you're gonna trust what this Katie says over what I say."

Dawn wrinkled her forehead. "Pretty much," she declared, grabbing half and half for their mother's morning coffee off the shelf.

Buffy pushed the cart toward the deli. "So, what is this play, anyway?"

"The Wizard of Oz." 

"Let me guess. You're Dorothy."

"Nope! Way better than that!"

"Toto?"

Dawn frowned. "What kind of a part is Toto? Nah, that's some kindergartener. I have the best part in the whole play."

"The Wicked Witch of the West?"

"Ha! You wish."

Buffy thought. Besides Dorothy, what was the best part in the play?

"The Wizard?" she asked.

"No."

"I give up."

"You do?"

"Yep." Buffy took a number at the deli counter.

"Wanna hint?"

"Sure."

"Lion!" Dawn yelled. Several people turned around to look.

"Shh, Dawn, people will think that's what you're in line to buy or something." Buffy smiled apologetically at a woman who was still staring their way. "So you're the Cowardly Lion?"

"Yep!" Dawn beamed.

"I don't see what that role has to do with margarine and moo juice."

"I never said that my practicing was _for_ that part, only that it would help me _prepare_ for it."

"Oh."

Dawn and Buffy moved up in line. "The show's in two months," Dawn informed her sister. "You'll be there, right?"

Of course I will, Dawnie," Buffy said, moving up to the deli counter. "Quarter pound of roast beef, please," she said to the woman behind the counter, who nodded and went off to slice the meat.

"Oh, good. Now you'll see who the real actress in this family is."

"I can't do it," Dawn said, panicked. "There's too many people."

"You'll do fine, Dawn," her classmate Katie, a.k.a the Wicked Witch assured her. "Just picture the audience in their—"

"That doesn't work!" Dawn cried. "That never works!" 

"It works for me," Katie shrugged. "Just don't look at the pianist."

Dawn nodded, but began to hyperventilate. "I—can't—do—it," she gasped.

"Sure you can," Katie said.

"I can't!" Dawn wailed.

Katie shrugged and went to get her green makeup fixed. She was sweating it all off.

"Hey, Dawnie!" she heard from behind her.

Dawn turned around. "Buffy?"

Buffy was standing there with Angel. "Hey! You ready?"

"No!" Dawn wailed. "I'm not cut out for this! I'm too scared! There's too many people!"

"You'll do fine, Dawnie. Half of those people are her to see you! Willow and Xander are here, and so's Mom, and me and Angel of course…think of how disappointed they'll all be if you don't go out there."

"Let them be disappointed," Dawn pouted. "I'm scared."

"Dawn," Buffy said, kneeling down next to her sister, "if you run away every time something scary happens, you'll be running forever."

"Who cares?"

"_I _care," Buffy said. "I know you can do it. I believe in you, Dawnie. "Go out there and knock 'em dead!" She got up and turned to leave. "Oh," she said, spinning around to face Dawn. "Not literally." She and Angel waved and left. Angel mouthed "good luck" over his shoulder to her. Dawn felt slightly better after Buffy's pep talk.

"Knock 'em dead…" she repeated quietly to herself, then adjusted her costume and made her way off to the wings of the stage.

Dawn beamed as the final song played. It was curtain calls, and Dawn's scenes had gone perfectly. _I made it through the play,_ Dawn thought, smiling, _and I did really good, too!_ Her smile got wider and she clapped as the Munchkins, who were mostly first graders, took their bows.

_I did good, _she thought again, clapping for the various cast members as they took their bows. _Maybe Mom will let me move back to LA with Dad. I am definitely cut out for stardom! But then again, I'd rather stay with Mom and Buffy and be normal than stay with Dad and be famous. At least Mom and Buffy know I even exist._

She realized it was her turn, and walked up to the stage by herself. She was one of the only cast members that got their own bow at curtain call, and she was very proud of it, so she therefore hammed it up like there was no tomorrow. Now that was fun.

"Dawnie!" Dawn turned around. Buffy, Mom, and the rest of the gang were rushing toward her. Even Giles had turned up for the event, which was a rarity. 

"Great job, sweetheart!" Joyce exclaimed, hugging Dawn tightly. Dawn was glad she's had time to change out of her costume after curtain call; if she'd had it on now she surely would have suffocated between it and Joyce.

"Thanks," Dawn said, rather stunned by all the attention. When her mother finally let go, the first thing she saw was three bouquets all being shoved at her at once.

"Uh, thanks," she said.

Buffy laughed. "This one's from me and Mom," she said, pointing to the biggest and most colorful bouquet, "and this one's from me and Angel…" Dawn noticed her mother's look and Buffy ignorance of it, "and this one's from the gang," she said, pointed to the bouquet loaded with purple and yellow flowers, Dawn's two favorite colors. 

"Thanks guys," Dawn smiled, taking the bouquets.

"You're welcome, Punkinbelly," her mother beamed.

"Mom…" Dawn mumbled, embarrassed.

"I guess you're a little star, now, though, so I can't call you that anymore. At least, not tonight."

"Whaddya say? Pizza party?" Xander suggested.

"I'm in!" Willow exclaimed, raising her hand.

"Me too," Buffy said, elbowing Angel simultaneously.

"Uh…of course…I'm not that hungry, but…oh well…party."

"Giles?" Buffy said.

"Oh, very well," Giles sighed.

"My treat," Joyce informed them as they left the lobby.

"Ooh, Mom's buying, enjoy it while it lasts," Buffy, holding Angel's hand on one side and draping her arm around Dawn's shoulders on the other.

Dawn sighed happily. Who needed stardom? She had the best friends in the world.

Thanks for all the reviews of my other stories!!! I'm ecstatic! And thanks to gidgetgirl for recommending me!

mistymidnight


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